(WASHINGTON, DC) — U.S. President Barack Obama and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud released a joint statement expressing “strong support” for Lebanon following a meeting on Sept. 4 at the White House.
President Obama invited the Saudi king to the U.S. to discuss the Iran nuclear deal and its wider effect on the Middle East.
“I’m happy to come to a friendly country to meet a friend,” Salman said. “We want to work together for world peace.”
The statement said the two leaders supported Lebanon’s “sovereignty, security and stability,” adding that military support for the Lebanese Armed Forces would help “resist extremist threats.”
The two leaders also called on Lebanon’s parliament to elect a new president — a role they believe is of “critical importance.”
The meeting comes five months after the first shipment of Saudi-funded French arms arrived in Lebanon. Many Lebanese view the deal as part of a competition for foreign influence, which they say could spark sectarian conflict.
The $3 billion plan paid for by Saudi Arabia aimed to help bolster the Lebanese army over the next four years with new transport vehicles, tanks, warships, and communication equipment.
In June, the U.S. State Department announced its approval of a possible sale of six A-29 Super Tucano aircrafts to Lebanon, at an estimated cost of $462 million.
According to Riad Kahwaji, CEO of the Dubai-based Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, Lebanon would pay for the aircrafts using a $1-billion Saudi grant.
The DC-visit is the king’s first to the United States since ascending to the throne in January 2015, and comes after the United States agreed to a nuclear deal with Iran in July.
“The relationship has grown deeper and stronger over the past seven decades in the political, economic, military, security, cultural and other spheres of mutual interest,” said a statement by the White House press office.
Speaking after the meeting between Obama and Salman, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Obama had assured the Saudi king that the agreement prevents Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, includes inspections of military and suspected sites, and has a provision for the snapback of sanctions if Iran violates the agreement.
Under those conditions, al-Jubeir said, Saudi Arabia supported the deal.
“Now we have one less problem for the time being to deal with, with regards to Iran,” al-Jubeir said. “We can now focus more intensely on the nefarious activities that Iran is engaged in the region.”